THE SECOND MATCH AGAINST NEW SOUTH WALKS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2785, 31 July 1907, Page 62

THE SECOND MATCH AGAINST NEW SOUTH WALKS.

(Fbok Otj» Own Cobbssfohbbkt.) SYDNEY, July 20. Once again has. the second match against New South. Wales proved disastrous to the All Blacks. In 1893 and 1897 the home team was victorious in that fixture. In 1905 New- Zealand won by a penalty goal to nil. In 1905 it resulted in a draw, and now, in 1907, New Zealand is soundly trounced. Though on previous occasions New South Welshmen have put up a bigger score against New Zealand, it is quite certain they have never been so much superior to us as they were in Wednesday's match. While our team was known to be weakened by the enforced absence of Seeling, Gillett, O'Sullivan,. and Mitohinson, it was thought that it would still be good enough to put up a good fight, and win by about the same margin as on Saturday last. This assumption proved to be altogether erroneous, and from start to finish only one team was in the running, and that not New Zealand. The Blacks won the toss, and played with a strong breeze behind them. Following the kick-off, they had a trifle the best of tiie play for 6ome little time, and were unlucky in Eckhold not scoring, as he fell just as he reached the ball with the line only 10 yards away, and the Blue full back outside striking distance. From then onwards, however, the home team asserted itself, and the issue thereafter was never in doubt. Playing with great dash and. judgment they ran all over the Blacks, and scored twice in the first spell —a fine performance against the wind. Not in any one'branch of the game, but in every department thereof, wae the home team superior to the visitors. They secured the ball in the scrums- with monotonous regularity, were much superior on the lineout play, and following up, while the kicking of their backs was more powerful and judicious. Only in tackling by the forwards did the Blacks compare favourably with them. Their forwards followed up in great style, and, aided by the fact that our backs frequently waited for the ball to bounce and that the referee was not so strict as he might have been with regard to the following up when offside, practically confined play to our quarters. The Blacks gave a sorry exhibition both back and forward. There was an entire absence of dash in the forward division, and they toiled along after their opponents like a team of dray horses, and seldom got down on the opposing backs. Coleman was an exception in that respect, and was able to trouble them when no one else, except, at times, Johnston and M'Donald, could get near them. At intervals they put in a sweeping rush, but rarely got far, the Blues going down to stop them in gallant style. As on Saturday they were full of pluck and determination, but while the spirit was willing tho flesh was weak. It was.hard to believe that .they were the same men who had played so well in the inter-ieland and Wellington matches, and, while it would be absurd to cay that they were stale, their general appearance and want of pace would have given a stranger the idea that they had already played a heavy programme of matches. The backs played wretchedly. No other word can describe their efforts. Roberts, however, should not be included in the sweeping condemnation. But, with his forwards beaten for the ball, he could not open up the game. In the closing stages of tho game he played as an extra wing forward, and did come good work. Hunter never seemed to find his game, and though Eckhold played with refreshing vigor, he was somewhat outclassed, and suffered from his lack of weight. The three-quarter line was ineffective, Booth being the -weakest of a weak lot. The taking of the ball, both in the air and on the ground, was very poor, while their attempts at passing were very feeble. Their line kicking, especially when playing against the wind, was a. long way behind that of their opponents. They frequently «ot out cV disastrous /esults. Spencer, it full back, was too slow for the position, and, on the whole, kicked more feebly than usual. In addition to their poor play, the team were heavily handicapped by the different manner in which the rules are interpreted here. The local men persistently played the hell while on the ground after a tackle, one try being gained after an illegality of that nature; while they persistently knocked on in the lin^-out, and got to the ball again without being pulled up. On one occasion Woods, when forced into touch, stood wit-h one foot out of play and dropped at goal, his action being allowed to pass unchecked. The team earned much praise for the sportsmanlike manner in which they took their defeat,

and certainly they were not sparing of their congratulations to the winners. The dinner after the match was a most pleasant affair, the teams fraternising in the heartiest manner. On Thursday morning a useful practice was held, and in the afternoon a visit was paid to the training ship Sobraon, where an enjoyable time was spent. The evening was filled in at the Newtown Club's annual smoke concert, where the members of the team were handsomely treated. Light rain set in on Thursday evening, and continued on Friday morning, necessitating an abandonment of the practice arranged for in the afternoon. The team visited La Perouse, and were initiated into the mysteries of boomerang throwing, and the evening was spent at West's Pictures, where they witness a very fine cinematograph of last Saturday's match. Gillett's knee is still too bad to permit of his playing to-day. The weather is again beautifully fine, and the interest manifested in to-day's match is something tremendous. !